Smells like...Wood

[Robert Wood]

I'm a relative newbie to the woodworking scene and I have what might seem like a fairly basic question. Here goes...

My wife and I are expecting our first child :D and I recently completed a dresser/changing table for the nursery. As cost was an issue, the cabinet and drawer fronts are pine and for the drawer sides and bottoms I used 1/2 inch plywood. While the exterior of the dresser was painted, I applied a coat of water based poly to the drawer sides and bottoms.

HERE'S THE QUESTION...After being inside with the drawers open for approximately 3 weeks, there is still a distinct smell of "wood" emanating from the drawers. As this was my first project with drawers or a substantial amount of plywood I was wondering if this smell is common. Any idea? If not normal, any thoughts on how to cure the problem? The baby is due VERY soon (yes, I'm getting a bit nervous about being a parent :eek: ) and I'm trying to avoid a second coat of poly. Any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks!
-Bob

P.S. - I'm in awe of the knowledge displayed by the members of Sawmill Creek. The projects and skill displayed here give me something to shoot for! Thanks again!

[Don Bullock]

...P.S. - I'm in awe of the knowledge displayed by the members of Sawmill Creek. The projects and skill displayed here give me something to shoot for! Thanks again!

I fully agree and wish I had some knowledge so that I could answer your question.

Congratulations on the new addition to your family. Welcome to the "Creek."

[Dan Forman]

I guess I don't see the problem with wood smelling like wood. What specifically is your concern? Actually wood smells much better than some things found near changing stations. :eek: Congrats on your near parent status, but I wouldn't worry about wood smelling like wood.

Dan

[Mike Parzych]

You didn't mention painting or poly on the inside of the cabinet. A can of spray poly could reach all that, and dries quickly. Seems like pine and plywood have a fairly strong smell.

[Jim Becker]

A can of spray poly could reach all that, and dries quickly.
MUST use water borne "poly". Oil based will have an odor litterally "forever" if used on interior parts. Personaly, I use shellac or water borne acrylics for this purpose. Lacquer is also a good choice. None of these three have any kind of substantial odor once cured.


Seems like pine and plywood have a fairly strong smell.
True. It's the resins in the pine and the resins in the plywood. But they are not generally bad smells. And certainly not dangerous, although it's a poor idea to use exterior grade plywood for this purpose due to potential off-gassing of "not nice stuff".

[Tom Jones III]

Definitely use the correct finish if you are talking about the insides. Personally I prefer naked wood on the insides. Sand it nice and smooth then clean all the dust off with mineral spirits and then leave it alone. IMO it looks better and feels better.

Common sense would suggest that bare wood is a safer odor than a chemical finish.

[Stephen Clem]

I just refinshed a deacon's bench I had previous built when we started decorating the nursery. I used stain followed by poly and the poly smelled for about a month until it cured. Are you sure the smell is not from the poly? My wife didn't mind the smell, she just worried about it hurting the baby.

PS - I didn't quite finish the Oak Cradle before our baby was born. (10 lbs. 0 ozs!!!) Yes, my wife is ok! I completed the basket, and he's been sleeping sound in it while I hide in the sho..i mean, finish the base. I wanted to be able to say he slept in it. Hopefully it be be completed and he can rock in it soon. I'll have to wait until he outgrows it to put a finish on it I suppose. Pictures soon to come! :D

[Doug M Jones]

Congratulations !!!! When you say pics to come soon... baby or cradle?

[wayne ateser]

i cut some oak once that had the distinct stench of dog poo. Somehow a dog must have done its deed near the tree and got absorbed.

[Don Stanley]

Congratulations on the new, to be announced, family member. What a joy! Cherish the moment!

It is my understanding Shellac is the best finish for drawers (inside), to prevent the finish from getting into your clothes. I have used it several times on old antique dressers. The old drawers had a distinct OLD smell. After making repairs and sanding, I applied a couple coats of clear Shellac. What a difference, the odor was gone, and the drawers smell good! Maybe some of the other forum members can tell you if you can use Shellac over Polyurethane. It is easy to apply, and dries fast.

-Don

[Jim Becker]

i cut some oak once that had the distinct stench of dog poo. Somehow a dog must have done its deed near the tree and got absorbed.

Sure it was oak? Sometimes certain elm has that, umm..."feature". It's natural, too...nothing to do with a dog's habits.

[wayne ateser]

Sure it was oak? Sometimes certain elm has that, umm..."feature". It's natural, too...nothing to do with a dog's habits.

oh yea....4/4 Red Oak. there was a dark discoloration of the wood as well.

[Pete Brown]

i cut some oak once that had the distinct stench of dog poo. Somehow a dog must have done its deed near the tree and got absorbed.

It was probably something else, unless the cut and milled wood had been pooped-on.

Dog poo on a live tree will eventually just go away smell-wise.

An oak and a couple poplar trees fell down in our back yard several years back. We had to cut the oak up with a chain saw. MAN did that wood stink! It may have been the water in the ground or that's just the smell of fresh oak but yuck :eek:

Pete

[Pete Brown]

oh yea....4/4 Red Oak. there was a dark discoloration of the wood as well.

Ahh. Either pooped on later or that was mold

Pete

[Pete Brown]

Bob, I find the smell of wood generally pleasing. If it is more of an acrid smell, it is probably the glues/resins in the plywood. That can be some really foul stuff, but honestly, is typically much less hazardous than that eminating from your carpets.

I assume you used furniture-grade plywood and not exterior stuff and hopefully not treated stuff. If you went with treated (green), toss it and start over as it is very unhealthy to have in the house.

If you want to seal it, go to Rockler (some Lowes have it too) and pick up a can of Zinsser seal-coat dewaxed shellac. Shellac will seal in just about anything (pine tar, stinks, oils, all sorts of stuff). Sand the inside of the drawers and then put down a couple coats of seal coat. A couple coats of that should take care of much of the smell, as well as any bleed-through from pine knots.

Let it dry thorougly and then either leave it like that, or topcoat with water-based poly (I like General Finishes High Performance Poly)

Congrats on the baby! Our son just had his first birthday this past weekend.

Pete

[Scott Vigder]

HERE'S THE QUESTION...After being inside with the drawers open for approximately 3 weeks, there is still a distinct smell of "wood" emanating from the drawers. As this was my first project with drawers or a substantial amount of plywood I was wondering if this smell is common.

Congrats on the expected arrival. Start sleeping now in preparation.

Your last name predisposes you to be a woodworker. I say let the wood smell like wood.

[Jerry Olexa]

Best to use Shellac on interior drawers. Oil Based Varnish smell will last forever..